Laundry machine



arch 1934= B. LINDBE'RG 1,951,157

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed March 24, 1930 8'SheetsSheet l March 13, 1934. LINDBERG LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed March 24, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 13, 1934. B. LINDBERG LAUNDRY MACHINE & JP

B Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 24, 1930 Rig fy WfW March 13, 1934.

B. LI NDBERG LAUNDRY MACHINE Fil ed March 24, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 F2 z/e 72-60 7" March 13, 1934. B. LINDBERG 1,951,157

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed March 24, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet 5 T7z z eiziarr March 13. 1934. B, UNDBERG 1,951,157

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed March 24, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 I]! V6")? 07 73 A 94 March 13, 1934. B. LINDBERG 1,951,157

LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed March 24, 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 flz 2 671 to r.

March 13, 1934. B. LINDBERG LAUNDRY MACHINE Filed March 24 1930 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Inz/e 72 for:

57 wfiiuwmd Patented Mar. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE '7 Claims.

The present method of washing wearing apparel and other laundry articles in commercial laundries is to place them in large cylinders divided into compartments, and to revolve the -cy1inders in the various waters. Consequently the laundry of one person may be washed in the same waters as that of numerous other persons. Also, in the handling of the laundry after it reaches the receiving room, great care must be taken to avoid the mixing of articles from various batches, so that elaborate systems of mark ing and checking, adding considerably to the cost of the work, are necessary. It has heretofore been proposed to wash each batch separately from the others, and it has also been proposed to employ separate containers or cylinders for individual batches. However, although the use of small individual cylinders that may be removed from the washing machine and be conveyed to any desired point will make it possible to fill such cylinders in the sorting room, and greatly simplify the method of marking and supervision to prevent loss or intermingling.

I The object of the present invention is to produce a simple and novel machine that will make it possible successfully to use small individual cylinders of the free type and to secure all of the advantages fiowing from individual washing and the employment of small cylinders that may 80 be filled in the sorting room as the incoming bundles of soiled laundry are opened.

The most successful method of washing laundry on a large scale is to place it in a perforated cylinder containing ribs or vanes, and rotate the cylinder first in one direction and then in the other, while partly immersed in water; the water being changed from time to time. A further object of the present invention is to make it possible successfully to wash each batch of laundry,

4.0 not only in water that has not been contaminated by other laundry, but in its own cylinder of the free type and in the same manner with respect to the washing action as that which constitutes the present standard practice.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be 0 had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figures 1 and 2 are elevations of a machine embodying my invention, viewing it from opposite sides; Fig. 3 is a side elevation, on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2, showing one end of the machine, the cylinders being shown in their lowered positions; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, the cylinders being shown raised and advanced a step from the position shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a view, on a larger scale than Fig. 4, illustrating one of the cylinder bearings and parts of the machine immediately adjacent thereto, when the cylinder is raised as shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the bearing dropped slightly from the position occupied in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view of the bearing shown in Figs. 5 and 6, dropped to a lower point and closed on the cylinder shaft or trunnion; Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through that portion of the machine shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the parts being in the positions shown in full lines in Fig. 3; Fig. 9 is an end view of the machine, looking at the right hand end as it appears in Fig. 3; Fig. 10 is a transverse section through the side or end of one of the tubs or receptacles and the vertical guide or slide associated therewith; Fig. 11 is a top plan view of that end of the machine shown in Figs. 3 and 4; Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing one of the vertical guides and the corresponding horizontal guide at their crossing point; Fig. 13 is a vertical transverse section through the machine along the center line of one of the tubs; Fig. 14 is a section on line 14-44 of Fig. 13; Fig. 15 is a section taken 35 through one of the vertical guides just above the corresponding horizontal guide, showing the corresponding cylinder bearing raised, the section being on line 15-15 of Fig. 16; Fig. 16 is a side view of the part shown in Fig. 15; Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 16, showing the bearing in its lowered position; Fig. 18 is a section on line 1818 of Fig. 17; Fig. 19 is a longitudinal section through the machine, showing only fragments of three of the tubs or receptacles and the corresponding cylinders located in the latter; Fig. 20 is a view on a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 19, showing the opposite end of one of the cylinders from that which appears in Fig. 19; Fig. 21 is a transverse section through one of the cylinders; and Fig. 22 is a longitudinal section, on a larger scale than Fig. 21, through that part of the cylinder containing the door.

The machine illustrated in the drawings and to which, for the sake of brevity, the detailed description will be confined, is one having twelve small tubs or receptacles 1 arranged side by side in a longitudinal row and supported by a suitable frame structure 2; the tubs being spaced apart equal distances between centers.

Each tub or receptacle is only large enough to receive a small laundry container in the form of a cylinder 3. These cylinders are removable from the machine, being fed into the same at one end that may be called a receiving station, and leaving it at the other end which may be termed the discharge station. Consequently the cylinders may be filled in the sorting room, so that each batch of laundry immediately becomes identified by the number or designating character of a particular cylinder. The filled cylinders are brought to the machine and delivered, one at a time, at the receiving station. Each cylinder is then moved progressively through the machine, from one tub to another, being left in each tub a predetermined length of time, and being properly turned first in one direction and then in the other while in each tub, according to customary practice. It will thus be seen that there may be a constant stream of cylinders flowing into the machine at one end and discharged at the other end. It will take some time to fill the machine with cylinders, since the second cylinder can be entered only after the first has been moved ahead to the second tub, and so on; but, after the machine has once been filled with cylinders, it may be kept filled as long as there is an available supply of laundry. T -e progression of the cylinders through the machine is as follows: each cylinder is lowered into the first tub; aite a predetermined interval it is raised above the tub and is then moved forward one step to the second tub and again lowered; this process being repeated from one end of the machine to th other, and all of the cylinders that there may be in the machine at any given time being raised simultaneously, pushed ahead simultaneously, and again lowered simultaneously into the tubs.

Means are provided for emptying all of the tube while the cylinders are being lifted, and for again filling them with a clean supply of water by the time the cylinders are moved ahead a step and again lowered. In this way no batch of laundry will encounter water through which another batch of laundry has been passed.

Each cylinder has at its ends projecting trunnions 4, as shown in Fig. 13. These trunnions are adapte to be received in bearings that open and close and that may be moved up and down to raise and lower the cylinders. At the receiving end of the machine, as best shown in Figs. 8 and 9, are two stationary brackets or beams 5, 5, one oneach side of the machine, and lower at their inner ends than at their outer ends. On the inner side of each of these brackets is a groove 6 extending from one end to the other. The parts are so proportioned that when a cylinder is inserted between the brackets, with its trunnions extending into the grooves of the same, the cylinder will roll along the brackets toward the machine. Opening downwardly from each of the grooves in the brackets, at some distance from the end of the machine, is a seat 7 into which the corresponding trunnion will drop, so as to hold each cylinder temporarily against rolling into the machine. The inner ends of the brackets meet a set of vertical guides 8 in which is a long vertical slide 9. On the lower end of this slide, as best shown in Fig. 17, is a two-part hearing which, as

shown, comprises two members 11 and 12 pivotally connected at their lower ends to the slide, as indicated at 13. Parts 14 and 15 of the guides 8 overlie the inner face of the slide along the margins of the latter so as to form in effect a wide 5 shallow vertical groove in which the bearing members or blocks are disposed. The inner edge of this groove extends uninterruptedly down to the bottom of the guide so that the inner bearing block 11 remains vertical when the slide is lowered. The edge bounding the outer side of the groove is interrupted at a point beginning just above the entrance grooves 6 in the brackets, by cutting off the lower end of the guide element 15. The bearing block 12 is weighted in such a manner that it will swing downwardly and outwardly into an approximately horizontal position when no longer restrained by the guide. Consequently, when the slide is lowered, and the bearing blocks lie below the lower end of the guide member 15, the blocks will occupy substantially the positions shown in Fig. 17. That is, the bearing will be open to receive a trunnion on a cylinder rolling in from the receiving station. When a cylinder is permitted to roll into the machine, each trunnion will assume the position shown in full lines in Fig. 17. Means are provided for swinging the bearing block 12 into an upright position so as to close the bearing on the trunnion when the slide is raised. In the arrangement shown, the bearing block 12 has a curved arm 16 projecting from the side thereof outwardly from the pivot; this arm being long enough to extend entirely across the groove between the two vertical guide members l4 and 15 when the bearing block 12 is swung down. On the member 14 is a projecting pin 17 that lies above the free end of the arm 16 when the latter is lying crosswise. When the slide is raise the arm strikes t is pin, and therefore the bearing block 12 must swing up before the end of the arm can pass the pin. This upward or closing movement of the bearing block 12 takes place before the block 12 reaches the vertical working face of the guide member 15 so that, by the time the arm is free from the pin, both bearing blocks are in upright positions and riding in the groove between the parallel working edges of the guide members 14 and 15.

The parts are so proportioned that when the two receiving bearings, one at each side of the machine, of which one has just been described, are in their lower positions, the trunnions of a cylinder received th reby will be in the same horizontal plane as the trunnions of cylinders oper atively positioned in the several tubs or receptacles. The guides 8 extend upwardly far enough to permit these receiving bearings to rise to a height that will carry a cylinder, supported there by, above the tops of the tubs, so that the cylinder may be advanced into a position above the first tub. This advance of the cylinder is along a pair of long horizontal guides 20 extending through the length or" the macine, one at each side of the machine; the guides 8 crossing the corresponding guides 20. As best shown in Fig. 12, the upper ends of the ertical guide members l4 and 15 terminate a short distance below the horizontal working face 21 of the guide 20 and have their inner corners cut away as indicated at 22. Furthermore, each of the members 14 and 15 has thereon, near the extreme upper end, a pin 23 that projects inwardly in a direction transverse of the machine. On the bearing block 11 is a finger 24 that extends across the guide member 14 when this bearing block is vertical and, on the arm 16 connected with the bearing block 12 is a finger 25 that extends across the guide member 15 while the bearing is moving upwardly between the members 14 and 15. The parts are so proportioned that the fingers 24 and 25 strike the pins 23 when the slide is raised to a position to bring the trunnions into the vicinity of the face 21 of the long horizontal guide; thereby compelling the bearing blocks 11 and 12 to swing downwardly and away from each other into the positions shown in Fig. 16 and leave the trunnion free to move along the horizontal guide.

On each horizontal guide is a long bar or horizontal slide 26 having in the under face a deep notch 2'7 of a width about equal to the diameter of one of the trunnions. When these horizontal slides are positioned with their notches in the paths of the upward movement of the trunnions on a cylinder that is being raised, the trunnions will be entered in these notches when the vertical slides reach the upper limits of their movements; this condition being illustrated in Fig. 16. Since the bearings are now open, the cylinder may be pushed along the horizontal guides, by simply moving the horizontal slides in the direction of their lengths. In order to keep each trunnion properly centered while the bearing is being opened, and provide a track surface on which a trunnion may roll as soon as it begins its advancing movement, I have fixed auxiliary track members 28 on each horizontal guide, on the inner side thereof. These auxiliary guides bridge the gap formed in the horizontal guide into which the opened bearing enters at the top of the movement of the vertical slide and extend down on opposite sides of the path of the trunnion while it is moving vertically during the time the bearing is opening. The auxiliary track members 28 may be simple plates whose free portions are spaced apart from the plane of the inner face of the vertical slide far enough to permit the bearing blocks to pass up and down between the same. If, with the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 16, the slide 26 is moved toward the left, it will be seen that the trunnion 4 will almost immediately roll upon the left hand track 28, so as to run along this track for a considerable distance before passing the free end of the bearing block 11, and reaching the main track or guide. Similar auxiliary tracks 28 are employed at the receiving point for the cylinders, as shown in Fig. 17; these tracks extending past the bearing members 12 when the latter are swung down.

There is a set of vertical guides, similar to the guides 8, at each tub, the guides associated with each tub extending down into the same at the middle of each end. Associated with these guides are vertical slides similar to the slide 9. On the lower end of each vertical slide is a two-part bearing similar to the one heretofore described. Although the cylinder bearings at the receiving end of the machine must open when lowered, to receive the trunnions on an incoming cylinder, the other bearings must remain closed while supporting the cylinders in the tubs. Therefore the guide members 15 on all of the vertical guides except the first, corresponding to the members 15, extend down past the bearings when the latter are in their lowered positions. Furthermore, the half bearings 12, on all of the slides except the first, need have only fingers 25; the arms 16, which are present on the first set of bearings, being omitted. The crossings between the long horizontal guides and the vertical guides are all alike. Each long horizontal slide 26 has, in addition to the notch 2'7 heretofore described, twelve similar notches. The spacing of the vertical guides on each side of the machine is uniform and the spacing of the notches in the horizontal slides is the same as that of the vertical guides. In other words, the vertical guides, as well as the notches in the horizontal slide, are spaced apart distances equal to the distances between the centers of the tubs.

The path of the cylinders through the machine may now be traced. In Fig. 8 there is shown a trunnion of a cylinder that has just entered the receiving bearings, and also a trunnion of a cylinder in the first tub. If now the vertical slides are raised, the two cylinders will be lifted out of the tubs and their trunnions brought into the first and second notches in the horizontal slide. Then, upon moving this slide to the left a proper distance while the vertical slides remain stationary, the right hand cylinder will be brought into registration with the open, raised bearings associated with the first tub and the next cylinder will be shifted into registration with the second tub. Then, upon lowering the vertical slides, the cylinders will be lowered into the first and second tub, respectively, and the receiving bearings will be left in open, receiving positions. After the trunnions have dropped down out of the way, the horizontal slides are returned to their starting positions in which the first notch in each is directly above the corresponding receiving bearing. Then, when another cylinder is rolled into the machine, it will be raised, along with the other two, upon the next upward movement of the vertical slides; when the horizontal slide is again moved to the left, all three cylinders will be pushed ahead one step; and, when the vertical slides are again lowered, the first three tubs will contain cylinders. This process is repeated until there is a cylinder in each tub so that thereafter each cylinder raised from the twelfth tub must be discharged from the machine. In order to eifect the discharge of the cylinders, the horizontal guides 20 may be continued beyond the twelfth or last tub in a downwardly inclined direction, as indicated at 29 in Figs. 1 and 2. With this arrangement, whenever a cylinder is lifted from the last tub and is pushed forward, it will roll down the inclined guide portions until it reaches any desired delivery point.

Whenever a cylinder is lowered into a tub, and the machine is running, the cylinder should be properly turned, preferably in one direction and then in the other. To this end, as shown in Fig. 13, each cylinder has fixed to one end thereof a large gear wheel 30 that is adapted to meshwith a pinion 31 carried on the end of a short shaft 32 extending through the adjacent end wall of the tub. By properly driving all of the shafts 32, the cylinders will be caused to begin rotating in the desired manner as soon as they are lowered into the tubs and to continue such rotation until they are again raised.

The various slides and the shafts that carry the pinions may be driven in any suitable manner. In the arrangement shown, the vertical slides are moved up and down by means of connecting rods 33, each rod being attached at its upper end to the upper end of one of the slides, and at its lower end to a crank arm 34; fixed to a shaft 35 passing through the machine from one side to the other below the tubs; there being one of these crank shafts underneath each tub, and each crank shaft having crank arms on both ends. The crank shafts are driven from a shaft 36 extending lengthwise of the machine on one side thereof. Each crank shaft has thereon a spiral gear 37 meshing with a complementary gear 38 on the driving shaft. When the driving shaft is operated, all of the cranks, and therefore all of the vertical slides, are moved in unison with each other. The shaft 36 is driven from a suitable motor 39 provided with any usual or suitable controlling means, indicated conventionally at 40, to cause the motor to make a sufficient number of revolutions to turn the crank shafts through an angle CL 186", then come to rest for a predetermined length of time, and then make a sufficient number of revolutions to turn the crank shafts through another half revolution; this cycle to be repeated at predetermined intervals, for example, at intervals of five minutes, if the cylinders are to remain in the tubs for five minutes at a time.

Each long horizontal slide 26 is operated by a long lever 42 pivotally supported at its lower end upon the lower part of the frame, as indicated at 43, and connected to the end of the slide by a link 44. These levers are at the front or receiving end of the machine and they are adapted to be oscillated by means driven from a transverse shaft 45 lying below what may be termed the inlet chute. In the arrangement shown, the shaft 45 is a crank shaft in that it has crank arms 46 each of which is connected to one of the levers 42 by means of a connecting rod 47. The connection between the lever 42 and the rod 4'? is through a pin 48 fixed to and projecting laterally from the lever and extending through an elongated slot 49 in the connecting rod. The shaft 45 is driven from a motor 50 through suitable speed reduction gearing including spiral gears 51. Associated with the motor are suitable controlling means of any well known or suitable type, indicated conventionally at 50 whereby the crank shaft will be caused to make one complete revolution at definite intervals and to remain stationary at other times. The intervals between rotations of this crank shaft must be of the same length as the intervals between the successive cycles or operation of the crank shafts for raising and lowering the vertical slides.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have illustrated the two sets of slides at the two limits of their movem nts. In Fig. 3, the vertical slides are down and the long horizontal slides are in their forward positions. There are cylinders in the first and second tubs, and there is a cylinder in the receiving bearings. The cranks 46 are horizontal and point away from the machine. The pins 48 are at the extreme left hand ends of the slots 49. When the motor 39 begins to turn, the cylinders are slowly lifted into the position shown in dotted lines at the top of the machine, namely with their trunnions entered into the corresponding notches in the horizontal slides which at this time are stationary. As heretofore explained, the vertical slides remain up for a short period of time. During this period the motor 50 begins to turn, causing the horizontal slides to be pushed toward the left. The parts are now in the positions shown in Fig. 4, the cylinders having been moved ahead a full step. The motor 39 must now begin to turn so as to lower the cylinders into the tub and leave the horizontal slides free to make their return movements. Of course the motor 50 that drives the horizontal slides may be stopped at the end of each stroke of the slides, but it may conveniently be operated so as to turn the crank shaft 45 through a complete revolution without stopping. This is made possible by the fact that before the horizontal slides can start on their return strokes from the position shown in Fig. 4, it is necessary for the lost motion in the pin and slot connections between the operating levers 42 and connecting rods 47 to be taken up before the turning of the crank shaft will have any effect on the slides. Therefore, if the motor that causes the cylinders to be lowered into the tubs is started up as soon as the cylinders are in position to be lowered, the cylinder trunnions can move down out of the notches in the horizontal slides before these slides actually begin their return movements. This can be seen from Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5 the horizontal slide has just come to rest with the cylinder trunnion resting on the upper bearing blocks, but still in the notch in the slide. In Fig. 6 the vertical slide is shown as having been lowered slightly, but far enough to drop the trunnion out of the notch in the horizontal slide.

The shafts 32 which carry the pinions 31 for rotating the cylinders while in the tubs may conveniently be driven from a shaft 52 extending lengthwise of the machine near the shafts 32; there being a suitable spiral gear drive 53 between the shaft 52 and each of the shafts 32. The shaft 52 is driven from a suitable reversing mechanism or motor 5-4 so that while the cyl= inders remain in their lowered positions in the tubs they will be rotated first in one direction and then in the other.

The water in the tubs should be changed whenever a shifting of the cylinders occurs, so that no two batches of laundry will be acted on by the same water. The emptying of the tubs may conveniently be accomplished by placing in the bottom of each tub a comparatively large lift valve 55 whose stem 56 lies directly above the corresponding crank shaft 35. On each of the shafts 35 a 57 so shaped and so adjusted that during the first pi of the turning movement of the crank shaft in a direction to lift the corresponding cylinder, the cam will engage the valve stem and open the valve, allowing the water to drain oil"; whereas, before the cylinder has been completely raised, the valve stem will be freed from the cam and the valve will again close.

After the drain valves have been closed, or even shortly before that time if it be desired to'rinse the tubs, suitable water supply valves are opened, thereby replenishing the supply of water in the tubs. In the arrangement shown, there are three supply pipes 69 for each tub, emptying into the top thereof. In each set of supply pipes is a valve device 61 provided with a swinging operating lever 62 normally held in a valve-closing position by a spring 63. On each of the connecting rods 33, xcept the first, on one side of the machine, is a laterally-projecting finger 64 in position to engage the corresponding valve lever and turn it in a direction to open the valve as the connec ing rod reaches the upper limit its movement. As heretofore explained, the connecting rods 33 remain stationary for some time after having been raised, so as to permit the cylinders to be shifted lengthwise of the machine. Therefore the inlet valves 61 may be held open long enough to insure an adequate supply of clean water or mixtures for each tub before a cylinder is lowered into the same.

I have heretofore referred to seats 7 opening down from the grooves 6 in the brackets along which the cylinders are rolled in placing them in the machine. These seats are for the purpose of holding each incoming cylinder back until the receiving bearings have been relieved of a cylinder and have been returned to their receiving positions. However, at the proper time, the next cylinder to enter the machine should be pushed in place automatically. To this end I have provided a pair of levers 66, 66 mounted below the brackets so as to swing about their lower ends in vertical planes extending longitudinally of the machine just inside of the brackets. Each of these levers has at its upper end a swinging dog 67 adapted to yield to let the corresponding trunnion of a cylinder to roll past the same into the seat '7; but acting as a rigid abutment when the lever is swung forward, and thereby push the trunnion out of the seat and allow it to roll down into the corresponding receiving bearing.

bearing seats '7 to be pushed out of the same and into the receiving bearings which are at that time in their lowered positions.

The cylinders may take any suitable form and be of any suitable material, but I prefer to make them of bakelite. The details of the cylinders are best shown in Figs. 19 to 22. Each cylinder comprises comparatively thick heads or ends joined by a series of parallel ribs 76 placed close to the peripheries of the heads. The body of the cylinder is made of slabs or panels 77, each long enough to extend across both heads, and wide enough to span the gap between two consecutive ribs. These panels are provided with numerous perforations, as indicated at 73. In cross section the cylinder is conveniently of polygonal form, eight sides being shown in the cylinder illustrated. One of the panels may be omitted and have substituted therefor a door which may conveniently be in the form of a thin metal plate '79 fitted into grooves in the ribs lying on opposite sides of the door opening; the inner end of the door, when closed, fitting into a groove 80 in one of the heads, and the outer end projecting beyond the other head and having a finger piece 81 bent laterally therefrom. Any suitable movable holding device 82 may be mounted on the latter head to engage with the outer end of the door and holding it in its closed position. Furthermore, there may be a guard for the gear wheel 30 in the form of a disc 83 of bakelite, of larger diameter than the gear wheel and secured to the outer side thereof. This guard will protect the gear wheel while the cylinder is being handled and transported from one place to another while removed from the machine.

The ribs '76 not only constitute structural elements of the cylinder, but they serve also as lifters to assist in raising the laundry as the cylinder revolves in use.

In some cases it is necessary toboil the work and therefore the tubs in which the boiling occurs should be covered while conta ning cylinders. It may also be of advantage to have all of the cylinders housed in closed chambers while their contents are being operated upon. I have therefore provided each tub with a cover that will be opened automatically when a cylinder is being lifted out of the same and be automatically closed after a cylinder has been lowered into the tub. These covers may take any desired form, being shown as consisting of simple fiat panels 85 0f the proper size to rest on top of the tubs and completely close them when lowered upon the tubs. These covers may be supported by hangers 86 hung from transverse shafts or bars 87 connecting together the upper ends of the vertical slides 9 of each pair. Consequently, when these slides move up, they carry the covers with them and, when they are lowered, the covers are again deposited upon the tops of the tubs. In other words, the covers are moved up and down in un son with and through the same distance as the cylinders.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a washing machine. a plurality of free containers for laundry, a series of receptacles for waters, each receptacle being of a size to receive one container, 2. receiving station at one end of the series and a discharge station at the other end, means to convey each container placed at the receiving station through the waters in all of said receptacles and delivering it to the discharge station, and means to empty each receptacle and refill it in such time relation to the progress of the containers through the machine that each container always meets only clean water in each receptacle.

2. In a washing machine, a receptacle for water, a cylinder for containing laundry, trunnions on the ends of the cylinders, vertical guides at the ends of the receptacle, slides in said guides, divided bearings for the cylinder trunnions on the slides, means for raising and lowering said slides, parallel guides transverse to and in the lcinity of the vertical guides, means to open said bearings when the slides are raised to bring the trunnions opposite said transverse guides, and means for pushing said trunnions along the transverse guides.

3. In a washing machine, a plurality of free cylinders for containing laundry and provided with trunnions at the ends, a series of recepta- 20 cles for water each of a size to receive one cylinder, vertical guides at the ends of the receptacles, slides in said guides, divided bearings for the trunnions on said slides, parallel horizontal guides extending past the vertical guides above and at each end of said receptacles, means for operating said slides to raise the cylinders above the receptacles and bring the trunnions into registration with the horizontal guides and then lower the cylinders into the receptacles, means to open 180 the bearings when the slides are up, and means to push the trunnions of each cylinder ahead from one pair of guides to the next while said slides are up.

4. In a washing machine, a plurality of free cylinders for containing laundry, a series of receptacles for water spaced at equal distances apart and each of a size to receive one cylinder, trunnions on the ends of the cylinder, a gear v wheel fixed to each cylinder, a gear wheel in each receptacle in position to mesh with the gear wheel on a cylinder when the latter is lowered into the receptacle, vertical guides at the opposite ends of each receptacle and extending above the same, horizontal guides each crossing all of the vertical guides at one end of the receptacle, mechanism to raise the trunnions on the cylinders along the vertical guides to said horizontal guides and lower them again until the gears on the cylinders mesh with the gears in the receptacles, and means for positively moving the trunnions of each cylinder from one pair of vertical guides to another pair while said mechanism is in a condition to begin a lowering movement.

5. In a machine of the character described, a vertical slide, a bearing on said slide composed of two parts movable relatively to each other, guides beside the slide, and cooperating parts on the guides and the bearing to cause the latter to close in one position of the slide and to open in another position of the slide.

6. In combination, vertical guides, a horizontal guide extending along the tops of the vertical guides, slides in the vertical guides, a bearing on each vertical slide composed of two parts movable relatively to each other to permit the bearing to open and close, means to raise and lower the vertical slides from positions in which said bearings are in the vicinity of the horizontal guide to positions in which the bearings are below the horizontal guide, means to cause said bearings to open when up and to close when lowered,

a horizontal slide on said horizontal guide, said horizontal slide having on the under side pockets adapted to register with said bearings when the latter are up and the guide is in either of two predetermined positions, and means for moving" said horizontal slide between said two predetermined positions.

7. In a washing machine, a plurality of free laundry containers, a series of receptacles for waters, each of a size to receive one of said con- 

